New Books

New books at Knit-O-Matic

Suss Design Essentials ~ $38 Me Likey! If you are a fashionista like me, you will like it too. I'm not crazy about Suss Cousins (pronounces Sooze, like Suzie)prior publications, and this one is still not as good as Teva Durham's Loop-D-Loop, but it aint bad. Many of the patterns follow Suss's simple California aesthetic, there are lots of basic shapes and simple outlines, like simple boatnecks and v-necks tweaked in very up-to-date styles that are eternally wearable and simple enough to make. My absolute favorites are the zippered sweater on the cover, a tweedy cowl neck pullover, and asymmetrical buttoned sweater, a very cool open-front pullover, a slinky raglan pullover. the patchwork skirt is a fashion crime, so just take an exacto knife to those pages and purge it from your memory. the dresses are all great as tunics over pants or leggings and the coats make me wish it was autumn all year long. Cousins still has a propensity to use synthetic fuzzy-furry yarns so you'll have to do your best to envision those designs in an alpaca or kid-mohair. Still, despite my gripes, it's a good showing and worth checking out.

The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters ~ $27.95
This book is full of simple and creative sweater patterns. It's raison d'etre is to teach you how to knit sweaters to your own measurements, basically allowing you to buy up a bunch of gorgeous yarn without being tied to a specific pattern! They take you through all the steps with clear, easy to follow instructions and diagrams for both regular and side to side sweaters. Plus, there is not a raglan among the patterns, so you'll get to learn something that isn't floating all over the internet. The styles are simple, there isn't anything fitted, but in no time you'll be plowing through your stash and making room in your closet!